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"I sentence you, Katerina, to mentor Caroline Forbes, teach her about our world, and how to survive as a vampire. You will also act as the bodyguard for both Caroline and Rebekah."
Katherine's eyes narrowed. "Bodyguard? For Rebekah?"
Rebekah scoffed, crossing her arms. "Why the hell do I need a bodyguard?"
Kol leaned back in his chair, his smirk growing. "Well, Bekah, after a thousand years, I've realized something rather amusing: for all your strength, you've never had your own personal Valkyries. As a queen of vampires, shouldn't you have someone by your side? And who better than Katerina? She's survived for half a millennium, been betrayed more times than we can count, and still managed to stay alive. She's even been in your shadow before."
Katherine raised an eyebrow, not liking the sound of where this was going.
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Kol, get to the point."
Kol's grin widened, clearly enjoying the moment. "She was in Chicago, Nik. Watching over her precious Stefan while he was on his little spree with our dear sister."
Rebekah's jaw dropped. "What?!"
Klaus's reaction was more explosive. "WHAT!"
Kol turned to Katherine, an eyebrow arched. "Am I wrong, Kitkat?"
Katherine, unable to hide the smugness on her face, answered coolly, "Oh, I was there during Stefan's stint at Gloria's. It was a… cozy little place. I kept my distance, two streets out. Just checking in from time to time, making sure he didn't do anything too reckless. I left after Mikael ambushed them."
Klaus looked bewildered, stunned into silence. Kol, on the other hand, burst into laughter, slapping his knee as if it was the best joke he'd ever heard.
"See?" Kol said, still chuckling. "She'll make a fine Mikaelson. She's already got the knack for secrets and survival. So, Kitkat, you have my blessing to court our stick-up-his-ass elder brother if you like."
Katherine rolled her eyes at Kol's teasing, but before she could respond, Klaus cut in, his tone sharp. "Fine. She's pardoned for all her past crimes. But—" He leveled his gaze at her, his eyes cold and dangerous, "—you will be hunted by us if you so much as think about betraying our family from now on."
Kol gave a predatory smile, but Elijah immediately stepped between them and Katherine, his face calm but firm. "Klaus, Kol, that's enough. We are family. There's no need for threats. Katerina knows the consequences."
Kol waved Elijah off with a smirk. "Relax, brother. I'll only hunt her if she's foolish enough to cross us again. For now, I'm gifting her to Rebekah. After all, Bekah's been far too well-behaved for the past century or so. She deserves a little fun."
Rebekah shot a playful glance at Katherine, her lips curling into a smile. "Fine. But don't expect me to play nice forever, Katerina. Now, come on," she said, standing and heading for the door. "We've got a ball to prepare for, and these idiots can sit here plotting amongst themselves."
Katherine, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, hesitated before following Rebekah. As she passed Klaus, she felt his icy gaze burning into her back, but Rebekah's voice cut through the tension. "Don't worry about him. He's all bark when it comes to you."
When the two women left, Klaus turned to Kol, his voice low and suspicious. "Are you sure about this? Katerina under our roof, around Caroline and Rebekah? What game are you playing, Kol?"
Kol shrugged, feigning indifference. "Nik, we've spent a thousand years surviving. But have we lived? Now that our monstrous father is finally out of the picture, maybe it's time we try. Not by becoming soft, but by actually embracing the lives we've fought so hard to protect."
Klaus's gaze darkened. "I don't care for your philosophical musings, Kol. I care about the safety of this family."
Kol chuckled, grabbing a bottle of rum from a nearby table. "Oh, Nik, always so serious. Don't worry. I have everything under control." He winked before strolling out of the room. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a dog to train."
Elijah, who had been quiet throughout the exchange, finally spoke, his expression neutral but his voice carrying the weight of his words. "Thank you, Niklaus. I should probably thank Kol as well, but knowing him, he'll find a way to escape before I can."
Klaus sighed, rubbing his temples. "No need to thank Kol. He's Kol. This is the same brother we've always known, the one from a thousand years ago. What worries me is what comes next. He's unpredictable, and now that we're no longer running, I fear he'll grow bored and start causing chaos again."
Elijah placed a hand on Klaus's shoulder, a rare show of comfort between them. "He won't, Niklaus. He knows better than to jeopardize the family's future. Let him have his fun for now."
Klaus wasn't convinced but nodded. "I hope you're right, Elijah. I really do."
I do really hope you guys can comment and give your opinions I really do enjoy dicussing with readers so i can gauge how to make the story more fun and well it balms my soul Heh